GREEN GIFT GUIDE 2008: For Boys

Looking for great green gift ideas for the growing boys in your life? From Hip-hop and heroes to things that are furry, bikes that go zoom, and long-sleeved shirts free from worry, we’ve rounded up a tried and true list of boys’ favorite things.

Produced by Prince Paul, the music has a story. The story has a moral. The moral is social acceptance. Part book on tape (narrated by Grammy winning poet Ursula Rucker), part Broadway show (The story was just optioned by Pablo Piccasso!) the CD takes kids (and parents) on a musical journey that tells the story of 5 best dino friends.

This fun crank-powered flashlight provides a (nearly) limitless supply of light, making it the perfect gadget for camping trips and all sorts of other nighttime adventures. It also puts renewable energy into little ones’ hands and makes an excellent teaching tool.

Don’t have a cow man, buy an animal for someone else who needs it from Heifer Int. A gift from Heifer’s Gift Catalog will provide animals and training to help families build a better future for themselves and their communities. $20 to $500 (shares available)

The first superhero to experience the effects of global warming, Aquaman is always at the ready to battle eco-baddies. His most famous (or infamous) power is the telepathic ability to communicate with/command oceanic life.

Kick. Push. Coast. The city will whiz by as Jr. pilots his new PEDObike. The peculiar-looking vehicle is a cross between a scooter and a bicycle. In Europe it has long conquered parks, sidewalks, the marketplace, and children’s hearts.

Calling all aspiring Bucky Fullers! Why bother with an expensive gift at all – skip straight to the good part, the cardboard box! Paperpod creations like the Aeroplane and Original Paperpod take the idea and run with it. Made from recycled/recyclable cardboard, just pop it together and let the little ones do the rest.

I plan on buying an iPod shuffle, filling it with 2 seasons of Radio Lab, and gifting it to my son when he’s ready to revel in science. Radio Lab comes out in seasons of 5 shows. Currently, they are working on shows for Season 5, to come out in November, 2008. Today, Radio Lab is heard around the country on over 150 stations.